Gnats are tiny two-winged flies that almost resemble mosquitoes. As a matter of fact, some species of mosquito fall under the general definition of “gnat.” These insects fly around in large swarms and they can be very annoying. However, to prevent them from swarming around your home, you can take the necessary measures by getting rid of them.
There are a couple of changes which you might want to implement to get rid of gnats in your home. Below are simple guidelines that outline how to kill or get rid of gnats effectively.
How To Get Rid Of Gnats In The House
Your main focus should be to kill all living gnats present in your kitchen. The creatures are generally attracted to confectionery food items. However, you can use this to your advantage by setting a trap using confectionery food items. Once trapped in liquids, gnats will find it rather difficult to escape. Therefore, make a trap using sweetened liquids such as lemonade or soda. You can pour it inside a container and leave it overnight in the places infested by gnats. When you wake up in the morning, there will be lots of dead gnats floating inside the container.
There are many more tricks that can be employed particularly if the above mentioned method does not eliminate the annoying insects. However, it is recommended that you try the above technique first a couple of times before trying another one.
The other technique that can be used for trapping the insects entails filling several cups with over-ripened or rotten fruits and then pour some water inside mixed with a little dish-soap. Once this is done, place the cups in areas of your house that are infested by the insects then let it stay overnight. Over-ripened fruits work by attracting the gnats while the soapy solution traps and kills them.
Gnats will rarely be seen in hygienic sections of the house. However, they will always be found in sections of the house where spilled food is lying about. Moreover, they can also be found in dirty kitchens. Therefore, clean and remove all forms of dirt from your kitchen to avoid infestation.
To completely discourage the gnats from infesting your home, mix water and vinegar and pour it into a spray bottle then spray the contents of the bottle all over the kitchen. Pay special attention to places like the fridge, sink, kitchen counter, cooking area and the cooking table. This action removes debris including other unclean items from the kitchen thus eliminating factors that would otherwise attract gnats to breed in the kitchen.
Food items, vegetables and fruits should ideally be stored away in the appropriate places. Foods that are perishable on the other hand should be stored in tightly sealed containers and put inside the fridge. Although some people prefer to leave fruits in bowls on top of the kitchen counter, this is not advisable because it encourages infestation.
Wash all fruits properly and if you come across rotten or over-ripened fruits, throw them away before they attract gnats. These insects love to dwell and feed on rotten fruits. Consider throwing away fruits not consumed within five days after purchase. Placing fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator is also a brilliant idea as it will prevent the insects from colonizing your fruits plus it also ensures you have fresh fruits for a long time.
Sadly, houseplants also attract gnats. This usually occurs when the leaves or stems begin to wither. For this reason, you need to inspect your plants frequently and check for any signs of infestation. The insects are also known to infest plant roots especially if they are rotting. Dig some mud from the roots of the plants and examine them carefully for any signs of decay.
Gnats are additionally attracted to plants that are dead and are already decaying. While examining the roots of the plants, check for larvae and fungus too. Once you have completely removed all affected areas including withered leaves, sprinkle some sand over the soil then sprinkle cinnamon powder. This works by keeping the insects away from the plants.
If none of the methods outlining how to kill or get rid of gnats work for you, consider purchasing sprays that will eradicate them faster. If you are still finding it difficult to eliminate the annoying insects, seek help from providers of pest control services as a means of preventing future infestation.